Industry calling! Is there a doctor in the house?

Medical service is needed in industry by both management and labor as never before. Industry is just beginning to awaken to this need. The medical profession is largely unaware of it. Unless physicians are prepared to heed this call, there is danger that management and labor will come to a bipartisan agreement over the bargaining table which will specify the amount, quality, and price of medical service irrespective of the effects of such an agreement on the practice of medicine. Such agreements should invariably be tripartite-between management, labor and medicine-if we are to continue to strive for medicine's traditional ideals: The best of medical care for all alike. This situation imposes at least two important obligations on organized medicine at the national level and especially at state and local levels where there is industrial concentration:1. Provision of a strong and competent committee or council whose members are especially interested in occupational medicine and who will make their presence known to management and labor alike, offering to advise with them on all medical problems, to mediate their disagreements or medical questions, and to help them attain a common goal.2. Assisting the members of organized medicine who are interested, to learn more about the medical problems peculiar to occupational health.     

INDUSTRY CALLING!—Is There a Doctor in the House?

Medical service is needed in industry by both management and labor as never before. Industry is just beginning to awaken to this need. The medical profession is largely unaware of it. Unless physicians are prepared to heed this call, there is danger that management and labor will come to a bipartisan agreement over the bargaining table which will specify the amount, quality, and price of medical service irrespective of the effects of such an agreement on the practice of medicine. Such agreements should invariably be tripartite—between management, labor and medicine—if we are to continue to strive for medicine''s traditional ideals: The best of medical care for all alike.This situation imposes at least two important obligations on organized medicine at the national level and especially at state and local levels where there is industrial concentration:1. Provision of a strong and competent committee or council whose members are especially interested in occupational medicine and who will make their presence known to management and labor alike, offering to advise with them on all medical problems, to mediate their disagreements or medical questions, and to help them attain a common goal.2. Assisting the members of organized medicine who are interested, to learn more about the medical problems peculiar to occupational health.     

Establishing a master's degree programme in bioinformatics: challenges and opportunities

The development of the Bioinformatics MS degree program at the University of Illinois, the challenges and opportunities associated with such a process, and the current structure of the program is described. This program has departed from earlier University practice in significant ways. Despite the existence of several interdisciplinary programs at the University, a few of which grant degrees, this is the first interdisciplinary program that grants degrees and formally recognises departmental specialisation areas. The program, which is not owned by any particular department but by the Graduate College itself, is operated in a franchise-like fashion via several departmental concentrations. With four different colleges and many more departments involved in establishing and operating the program, the logistics of the operation are of considerable complexity but result in significant interactions across the entire campus.     

呼吸内科临床实习中的问题与对策探析

目的:研究呼吸内科临床实习中的问题与对策。方法:查询我院对实习生的管理相关文件、现场考核带教老师,最后对85名在医院已经结束呼吸内科实习的本科同学进行问卷调查,包括实习目的、实习态度、实习效果以及实习与就业和考研的关系等项目,对问卷结果进行分析。结果:现今在呼吸内科临床实习的医学生面临着一些问题,如实习管理松懈;带教老师因工作、患者等原因忽视教学;大部分实习生实习目的不明确、实习主动性较差、实习效果不佳;因"择业"、"考研"压力等外界因素以及呼吸内科学科自身的一些原因轻视呼吸内科实习。结论:影响呼吸内科临床实习教学质量的因素有多方面,可针对"教"与"学"提出解决其临床实习的一些对策。     

Skill-Specific Changes in Somatosensory Nogo Potentials in Baseball Players

Athletic training is known to induce neuroplastic alterations in specific somatosensory circuits, which are reflected by changes in somatosensory evoked potentials and event-related potentials. The aim of this study was to clarify whether specific athletic training also affects somatosensory Nogo potentials related to the inhibition of movements. The Nogo potentials were recorded at nine cortical electrode positions (Fz, Cz, Pz, F3, F4, C3, C4, P3 and P4) in 12 baseball players (baseball group) and in 12 athletes in sports, such as track and field events and swimming, that do not require response inhibition, such as batting for training or performance (sports group). The Nogo potentials and Go/Nogo reaction times (Go/Nogo RTs) were measured under a somatosensory Go/Nogo paradigm in which subjects were instructed to rapidly push a button in response to stimulus presentation. The Nogo potentials were obtained by subtracting the Go trial from the Nogo trial. The peak Nogo-N2 was significantly shorter in the baseball group than that in the sports group. In addition, the amplitude of Nogo-N2 in the frontal area was significantly larger in the baseball group than that in the sports group. There was a significant positive correlation between the latency of Nogo-N2 and Go/Nogo RT. Moreover, there were significant correlations between the Go/Nogo RT and both the amplitude of Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3 (i.e., amplitude of the Nogo-potentials increases with shorter RT). Specific athletic training regimens may induce neuroplastic alterations in sensorimotor inhibitory processes.     

Chewing over physiology integration

An important challenge for both students and teachers of physiology is to integrate the different areas in which physiological knowledge is didactically divided. In developing countries, such an issue is even more demanding, because budget restrictions often affect the physiology program with laboratory classes being the first on the list when it comes to cuts in expenses. With the aim of addressing this kind of problem, the graduate students of our department organized a physiology summer course offered to undergraduate students. The objective was to present the different physiological systems in an integrated fashion. The strategy pursued was to plan laboratory classes whose experimental results were the basis for the relevant theoretical discussions. The subject we developed to illustrate physiology integration was the study of factors influencing salivary secretion.     

The Role of the Practising Physician in Medical Student Recruitment

The role that the practitioner of medicine can play in assisting recruitment to medical schools is examined. Although the total enrolment in universities has increased sharply in the past decade, the group applying to enter medicine has decreased. The output of Canada''s 12 schools of medicine—850 graduates per year-falls significantly short of the number of new physicians required to maintain the present physician:population ratio. With the expanded output of physicians required in future, an active program of recruitment will be necessary. The recruitment program organized by the practising physicians of British Columbia and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia is outlined.     

Sports Participation and Positive Correlates in African American,Latino, and White Girls

The purpose of the study was to examine relations among sports participation and positive correlates across African American, Latino, and White girls. Positive correlate variables were self-perceptions (self-worth, body attractiveness, athletic competence), less depression, and participation in extracurricular activities. The sample comprised 372 girls (mean age = 12.03 years). Data were analyzed using multiple-sample structural equation models, controlling for age and income. Across all ethnic groups, greater sports participation was significantly related to higher self-worth, body attractiveness, and athletic competence, and to more extracurricular activity. Among Latino and White girls only, greater sports participation also was related to less depression. There were significant age and income influences on the positive correlates. Findings confirm the existence of significant relationships between organized sports participation and positive correlates among early adolescent African American, Latino, and White girls. Despite a few ethnic differences in relationships, the current study revealed more similarities than differences.     

Patellofemoral knee pain treatment using neuromuscular retraining of the hip musculature in an adolescent female: a case report

The purpose of this case study is to demonstrate the treatment of patella-femoral knee pain in an adolescent female athlete with emphasis on neuromuscular training of the knee and hip in synergy movement strategies. A 1.67-m, 61.5-kg, 15-year-old woman athlete reported to rehabilitation with the complaint of a 1-year history of bilateral knee pain. The patient noted that the symptoms were exacerbated with any sports-specific training. The patient played softball as an infielder. The athlete was referred by her family practice physician. After the patient was assessed, a clinical hypothesis was generated. It was thought that neuromuscular dysfunction of the hips and knees was causing faulty knee mechanics. These abnormal mechanics were presenting as patella-femoral knee pain. Initially, the athlete was assigned a home exercise program of side-lying hip abduction and lateral step-downs. At her first follow-up appointment, she noted increased symptoms that were aggravated with her home program. Upon inspecting her exercise technique, faulty step-down mechanics were contributing to her symptoms. Step-downs were discontinued, and the patient was instructed in and performed a chair squatting exercise, which was added to her home program. At her next follow-up, the patient noted being asymptomatic for 2 days. Her exercises were increased in intensity to include a Stairmaster and hip abduction and adduction on a 4-way hip machine. Eventually, over her treatment course, perturbation and proprioceptive training were initiated. By the sixth visit, the patient reported no symptoms and felt comfortable with self-management. A phone interview 3 months later indicated that the patient had no recurrent symptoms and was participating in sports without difficulty. This case demonstrates effectiveness of using hip and knee joint synergy to treat patella-femoral pain (PFP). The use of this synergy promotes proper patella–femoral alignment and improved knee mechanics. This case also is unique in the lack of physical agents and taping used to improve the patient's condition. It reinforces how exercise technique can carry over to functional athletic activities. This study provides a case for the use of hip and knee mechanical retraining in the treatment of PFP in adolescent female athletes who do not exhibit abnormal foot mechanics in weight bearing. It is important that sports medicine professionals be aware of these treatment options and are able to use them to correct these deficits in order to facilitate return to training and competition as quickly and safely as possible.     

Tendances en médecine nucléaire : renouvellement du TEP/TDM au sein du service de médecine nucléaire du centre hospitalier universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Suisse

After a technology life of a machine imaging positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT), the nuclear medicine department of the Centre hospitalier universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) has renewed its unique equipment. He realized at that time, a number of reorganizations for the arrival of the new “PET/CT”. This project is crucial for the nuclear medicine department and should be part of a rigorous approach to both the organization of replacement of equipment and on the adaptation of the host structure. The CHUV has chosen a new generation machine reducing the examination time, the amount of radiotracer and thus the dose to the patient while increasing the performance of lesion detection. To take full advantage of this technology, it was necessary to establish the needs of all stakeholders nuclear medicine department and associated them in the procedure in order to acquire. This process was organized by the Biomedical Engineering Department in order to offer the new technology to meet cost to expectations of doctors and patients.     

Occupational medicine programs for animal research facilities

Occupational medicine is a key component of a comprehensive occupational health and safety program in support of laboratory animal research and production facilities. The mission of the department is to maximize employee health and productivity utilizing a population health management approach, which includes measurement and analysis of health benefits utilization. The department works in close cooperation with other institutional health and safety professionals to identify potential risks from exposure to physical, chemical, and biological hazards in the workplace. As soon as exposures are identified, the department is responsible for formulating and providing appropriate medical surveillance programs. Occupational medicine is also responsible for targeted delivery of preventive and wellness services; management of injury, disease, and disability; maintenance of medical information; and other clinic services required by the institution. Recommendations are provided for the organization and content of occupational medicine programs for animal research facilities.     

Testosterone and sport: current perspectives

Testosterone and other anabolic-androgenic steroids enhance athletic performance in men and women. As a result, exogenous androgen is banned from most competitive sports. However, due to variability in endogenous secretion, and similarities with exogenous testosterone, it has been challenging to establish allowable limits for testosterone in competition. Endogenous androgen production is dynamically regulated by both exercise and winning in competition. Furthermore, testosterone may promote athletic performance, not only through its long-term anabolic actions, but also through rapid effects on behavior. In women, excess production of endogenous testosterone due to inborn disorders of sexual development (DSD) may convey a competitive advantage. For many years, female competitors have been subject to tests of sexual genotype and phenotype known as gender verification. Although gender verification has not identified any normal man competing as a woman, this process has identified women athletes with DSD. As understanding of DSD has expanded in recent years, women with DSD are increasingly able to continue athletic competition.     

Unfairness of Certain Events in the Olympic Games

Boxing, weight-lifting, wrestling, and judo are graded events in that opponents are matched by weight. If protection were to be denied by removing this restriction such sports would overwhelmingly favour the heavyweights. Data on Olympic winners show that many running and jumping events are seriously biased in favour of the very tall. It is suggested that the rules of these events should be revised to include a grading by height. This would remedy an element of unfairness in many athletic contests, beginning at school.     

The social structural basis of the organization of persons in memory

This paper summarizes and discusses three studies of patterns in the recall of persons in socially bounded communities. Individual sin three different communities (a graduate academic program, a religious fellowship, and a department in a formal organization) free-listed the names of persons in their respective communities. Results indicate that the individuals in each community share a common cognitive structure of community members that is based on the community’s social structure. These studies, combined with the results of other research, strongly suggest that persons are organized in memory according to social structural principles and that affiliation and dominance are the principal dimensions of social cognition. Suggestions are offered for future research to test the generality of these findings. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 3rd European Conference on Social Network Analysis, June, 1993, in München (Munich), Germany. This research was supported by an Air Force Laboratory Graduate Fellowship awarded to the author by the U. S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Devon D. Brewer received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine, and is currently a research consultant with the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington. His research focuses on social networks, cognitive anthropology, and research methods.     

Panopticonics: The Control and Surveillance of Black Female Athletes in a Collegiate Athletic Program

This article analyzes black female student athletes' participation in an elite collegiate athletic program and shows how the program maximizes black female participants' athletic and academic potential through surveillance, control, and discipline. The program instills in black female athletes a model of womanhood whereby they come to expect and achieve academic and athletic success, but does so at the expense of their autonomy and freedom from surveillance. Ultimately, this analysis shows the promise and peril of panopticonics as educational technology.     

Second to fourth digit ratio and the sporting success of sumo wrestlers

The second (index finger) to fourth (ring finger) digit length ratio (2D:4D) is known to be a putative marker of prenatal exposure to testosterone. It has been reported that fetal and adult testosterone may be critical for development of physical and mental traits such as cardiovascular system, reaction time, aggressiveness and masculinity. Testosterone-driven attributes are associated with success in male-to-male physical competition, which may be proxied by ability in sports. Many researchers have found that 2D:4D is sexually dimorphic and is a negative correlate of athletic performance. This study aims to investigate the associations of 2D:4D with measures of power as another possible testosterone-associated trait using ability in sumo wrestling as a proxy for male physical competitiveness. The measures of sumo performance comprised the sumo ranks and winning percentages of 142 Japanese professional sumo wrestlers. We found that sumo wrestlers with low 2D:4D had higher sumo ranks and better winning records. The significant negative associations between 2D:4D and the athletic prowess of sumo wrestlers provide further evidence of the possible link between high testosterone levels and muscle strength. The relatively small effect sizes found in this study, however, imply that 2D:4D may be a weaker predictor for sports requiring explosive power than for those requiring endurance.     

Athletic Heart Remodeling in Athletes with Arterial Hypertension

Although the prevalence of arterial hypertension (AH) in athletes is significantly lower than that in the general population, the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) and increased left ventricular mass in a number of sports with high isometric loads (speed and strength sports) is higher than that in cyclic sports with high aerobic load. Specific risk factors of hypertension in athletes include high intake of sodium, alcohol, caffeine, and a number of illicit drugs, such as erythropoietin, growth hormone, and oral contraceptives in women. The development of athletic heart is determined by training and competitive activity and generally does not lead to the disorders of systolic and diastolic function. However, elevated BP in athletes increases the risk of myocardial hypertrophy and remodeling, which is one of the possible contraindications for sports with high static loads.     

The Effects of a Prophylactic Knee Brace and Two Neoprene Knee Sleeves on the Performance of Healthy Athletes: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial

Knee injury is one of the major problems in sports medicine, and the use of prophylactic knee braces is an attempt to reduce the occurrence and/or severity of injuries to the knee joint ligament(s) without inhibiting knee mobility. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of one recently designed prophylactic knee brace and two neoprene knee sleeves upon performance of healthy athletes. Thirty-one healthy male athletes (age = 21.2±1.5) volunteered as participants to examine the effect of prophylactic knee brace/sleeves on performance using isokinetic and functional tests. All subjects were tested in four conditions in a random order: 1. nonbraced (control) 2. using a neoprene knee sleeve 3. using a knee sleeve with four bilateral metal supports and 4. using a prophylactic knee brace. The study design was a crossover, randomized, controlled trial. Subjects completed single leg vertical jump, cross-over hop, and the isokinetic knee flexion and extension (at 60, 180, 300°/sec). Data were collected from the above tests and analyzed for jump height, cross-over hop distance, peak torque to body weight ratio and average power, respectively. Comparisons of these variables in the four testing conditions revealed no statistically significant difference (p>0.05). The selected prophylactic brace/sleeves did not significantly inhibit athletic performance which might verify that their structure and design have caused no complication in the normal function of the knee joint. Moreover, it could be speculated that, if the brace or the sleeves had any limiting effect, our young healthy athletic subjects were well able to generate a mean peak torque large enough to overcome this possible restriction. Further studies are suggested to investigate the long term effect of these prophylactic knee brace and sleeves as well as their possible effect on the adjacent joints to the knee.     

The role of orthopaedic surgery in sports medicine.

Orthopaedic surgery must play a significant role in the development of sports medicine as a viable academic discipline. Potential areas in which orthopaedic surgery can specifically contribute to such an evolution are discussed. Particular areas include skeletal development, the role of athletics on skeletal growth and trauma response, the mechanics of specific sports and the predisposition of specific sports to certain injury patterns, the role of muscle physiology and muscle stimulation in rehabilitation, and differing responses of the male and female skeletal system. Each of these areas is discussed in detail.